The images formed in our minds, either consciously or unconsciously, reflect a 'resonant' symmetry between the inner and outer worlds - data from one world is 'translated' into the data of the other.
From this perspective, human life can be seen as a cosmic 'interface', much like the user-interface designs in our digital age. The greater the coherence of this interface (that is, the degree of Soul formation), the greater the communication between realities.
The first few lines of the Lord's Prayer - "...Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven..." - calls to human life to be an active conduit in enabling a new Humanity.
Potent creative energies are the sources of images from beyond life that must, by their nature, find a path to expression. If images are formed unconsciously, the creative energies cascade down the energetic scale and mostly devolve into fantasies of sex, fear and ego-tripping. That is, they are 'soaked-up' in unreality and deprive the body of an essential nourishment.
If images are formed consciously, they can be a powerful 'lens' to align the known and the unknown through the middle part of the Soul. It can give direction to the subordinate energies of the body (the lower part of the Soul) while also providing their sustenance from a higher source (the potential higher part of the Soul).
The image in the mirror is not the object, just as the map is not the territory - but both image and map are needed in 'seeing' the object and 'navigating' the terrain.
The most powerful image formation is one where a consciously directed attention can include the simultaneous experiences of 'body sensations' (the data of physicality of the lower part of the Soul), 'feelings' (the energetic data of the middle part of the Soul) and the visualizations of the mind (the data of impressions received from the higher part of the Soul).
The precision of this conscious 'coming together' of all aspects of our Being is no easy task, and takes years of disciplined training.
All true 'creativity', in reality, is an arduous process of preparation to allow a spontaneous action to occur, and the wit to act as an instrument when it does.
In the end, I must constantly remember that the creative energies, mediated through the images of my mind, never belong to me - but without me, they cannot find their place.
As evidence by all the genuine spiritual personages of history, the higher the merited 'ideal' and the deeper the individual 'conviction' towards that ideal, is lawfully matched by the necessary quantum and quality of energy to achieve it.